Return
to Story Page
To print: Select File and then Print from your
browser's menu
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
PUNE, JUNE 6: Bharatiya Janata Party leader in the Pune Municipal Corporation Suhas Kulkarni today said his party had decided to support no-confidence motion against Municipal Commissioner Arun Bhatia with a heavy heart since ``the entire civic administration had come to a standstill because of Bhatia's stand.''
Talking to this paper, Kulkarni said the democratic set up would not work unless there was coordination between elected representatives and civic administration. ``Unfortunately, Bhatia always confronted with the corporators instead of coordinating with them,'' Kulkarni said and added that it was highly improper on the part of Bhatia to assume that he was the only clean person and all others were corrupt.
Kulkarni said his party had been fighting against corruption in the corporation. He maintained that his party had highlighted the inflated figures in the ambitious water supply and sewerage scheme and also river improvement project. ``There was scope for corruption and misuse of civic funds had the general body approved it,'' he said and added that both the schemes were drafted by Ramanath Jha, who was also popular among the citizens.
Kulkarni said his party had welcomed Bhatia's drive against the illegal structures and had never intervened in it. He, however, pointed out that Bhatia continued his drive only for a week. ``Why was it suddenly abandoned ?," he asked and added that it might be a publicity stunt to project himself as anti-establishment and gain popularity.
Answering a question on reallocation of budgetary funds, as proposed by Bhatia, he said Bhatia took over on April 13 after the court judgement and moved the proposal on April 16. ``Is it possible for any person to study civic budget in short period of three days and submit fresh proposal of 38 crore?,'' he asked. He pointed out that preparation of civic budget was a very long procedure, involving administration and corporators, which take not less than six months. He said the budget was duly passed by the general body and came into effect on April 1. ``What happened in two weeks that forced Bhatia to propose changes in it?''
Kulkarni said 129 corporators, sitting in the house, were not fool to pass the budget. Stating that Bhatia's stand was totally undemocratic, Kulkarni said even Bhatia had admitted in standing committee meeting that he did not get enough time to study the budget and he was misled by the officers.
Kulkarni alleged that Bhatia had been misleading everybody by providing selective information. Stating that Bhatia never understood the importance of discussion, Kulkarni alleged that his style was absolutely dictatorial. On proposal of holding dialogue by bureaucrat-turned-social activist Avinash Dharmadhikari, Kulkarni said it was too late given the current scenario.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
------------------------------------------------------------
This story was printed from Net Express located at http://www.expressindia.com. Net Express provides a portal to India, with news from The Indian Express and The Financial Express along with sites on travel and tourism, the entertainment industry, the power sector, the environment and much more.
------------------------------------------------------------